Deutsches Schauspielhaus
One of Germany's leading drama stages, Deutsches Schauspielhaus has been lavishly restored to its full 19th-century opulence. It's the most important venue in town for classical and modern theater.
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The arts flourish in this cosmopolitan city. Hamburg's ballet company is one of the finest in Europe, and the Hamburger Ballett-Tage, its annual festival, brings the best from around the world to the city.
At the end of September, the city comes alive with movie showings. The Hamburg Film Festival features the best feature films, documentaries, short films, and children's movies. About 80% of the films are in English or have English subtitles. For two weeks, thousands of people watch mainstream and quirky films in various theaters around town.
Information on all major events is available on the Hamburg Tourism Office website. The best way to order tickets for all major Hamburg theaters, musicals, and most cultural events is through the Hamburg-Hotline (040/3005–1300).
One of Germany's leading drama stages, Deutsches Schauspielhaus has been lavishly restored to its full 19th-century opulence. It's the most important venue in town for classical and modern theater.
The name says it all: the English Theatre, first opened in 1976, is the city's premier theater for works in English. Actors from near and far bring contemporary and classic drama to life on the small stage of this historic building.
Hamburg's largest ticket seller has box offices throughout Hamburg, including one in the main train station (Stage Ticket Shop). The website is only in German, but a ticket hotline will connect you with English-speaking representatives.
A number of agencies, including the Hamburg tourist office at Landungsbrücken, sell tickets for plays, concerts, and the ballet. Tickets can also be booked online or via the hotline in English.
Handily located just across the street from the Holstenstrasse S-bahn, the 2,000-seat Neue Flora attracts big crowds, who come for popular, long-running musicals such as Tarzan and The Phantom of the Opera.
The quirky Schmidt Theater and Schmidts Tivoli has become Germany's most popular variety theater, presenting a classy repertoire of live music, vaudeville, and cabaret.
The Stage Operettenhaus stages productions of top musicals including the musical adaptation of Rocky, and Love Never Dies, the follow-up to The Phantom of the Opera. Tours of the theater are also available.
Theater im Hamburger Hafen is home to Der König der Löwen, a German version of the hit musical The Lion King. The theater, which is on the south side of the Elbe, is reached by ferry (included in ticket price) from St. Pauli Landungsbrücken.